Musical Inspiration
by Sapphyre Snow
Summary: UPDATE:I added lyrics in case you're interested...Song inspired drabbles. My response to the iPod Challenge. I'm tagging PointyObjects, Kaydance, Shahrezad1, and Nikki Narcissist. Please R&R!


A/N**: **So VirgoMaiden tagged me and I thought this sounded fun! It actually turned out to be harder than I thought though. **If you get tagged, you have to write a short fic about ten random songs. Put your respective music player on shuffle, and write a story to whatever song comes up. Sounds easy? It should. Except you also have to write the story in the span of the song you are writing about.**

**I tag: **

**PointyObjects**

**Kaydance**

**Shahrezad1**

and

**Nikki Narcissist**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hey Arnold! And I don't own the songs either. I am lame, I own nothing.

* * *

1. "Collide" by Howie Day

_"When I'm open, you're closed  
Where I follow, you'll go  
I worry I won't see your face  
Light up again_

_I'm quiet you know  
You make a frist impression  
I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind_

_ Even the best fall down sometimes  
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme  
Out of the doubt that fills my mind  
I somehow find  
You and I collide"_

He looked up from the book in his hand. There she was—beautiful, shining, and untouchable. If anyone ever knew, they'd think he was crazy. But he knew he wasn't. To be honest he'd always known she was the one for him—since he was a kid. But until recently he'd never admitted it.

She was a closed book, however. He knew there was more to her than her snide remarks and terrible pranks. He'd seen glimpses before. He even figured that she really did like him—she'd told him as much once, even though they told each other later it wasn't real, just the heat of the moment.

Maybe someday he'd tell her. Maybe someday she'd realize that she was a good person, one who did deserve to be loved and cared for. Maybe someday they would be together.

He could wait. He actually had this strong feeling that their lives would collide. It would have to be a collision, with Helga it wouldn't happen any other way.

* * *

2. "Come What May" by Ewin McGreggor and Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge)

_ "Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace  
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste  
It all revolves around you_

_And there's no mountain too high no river too wide  
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side  
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide  
But I love you until the end of time_

_Come what may, come what may  
I will love you until my dying day"_

He opened his eyes and looked to the balcony where the early morning sun was pouring into the room. There she was—standing in a flowing white nightgown, the breeze gently moving her blonde hair across her back. He smiled as he rolled out of bed and walked to her putting his arms around her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Shortman," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled and kissed him. She turned back around in his arms and stared out over the ocean view. "Doesn't everything seem so perfect now?"

"It does," he answered. "No matter what happens we'll always be together now. And that is perfect."

"Too bad it took you so many years to realize it," she teased at him.

"I love you, you know."

"Oh, I kind of figured that one out."

"Just checking." And he pulled her closer into his arms.

* * *

3. "Dare You to Move" by Switchfoot

_"Between who you are and who you could be  
Between how it is and how it should be_

_Maybe redemption has stories to tell  
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell  
Where can you run to escape from yourself?  
Where you gonna go?  
Where you gonna go?  
Salvation is here_

_I dare you to move  
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor  
I dare you to move  
Like today never happened  
Today never happened"_

"Why can't you be more like Olga?" Big Bob stated, folding his arms across his chest.

"Eeerrr!! I hate you!" Helga screamed, anger seething through every inch of her body, causing her to tremble. She turned and bolted out the front door and ran.

Helga tried to see through her tears and the falling rain as she ran. She didn't know where she was running to, but she had to run. She thought about her father, trying to understand why her he hated her so much. How could a parent hold such awful feelings towards one of their own? Why had she been cursed to live under such judgment and dislike? How could she be expected to live up to Olga? Shouldn't she be herself and do what she liked? Wasn't that what parents were supposed to want for their children? She had tried to be a good student, a good person. Still they had ignored her, so she had buried those good, kind traits from others and from herself.

And wasn't she a good person deep down still? She could get out of the situation. She could find ways to be happy each day—find a drive to do what she knew was right and what her heart wanted. And why had she allowed herself to become such an angry person? Now, she had dug herself into this dark, angry pit and how could she find the strength to climb out and be happy. And then there was the fact that there was no one. And she was alone.

Finally her sobbing took over and she fell down on the steps of a building crying. She couldn't go any farther. The pain, anger and sadness wracking her body was too much.

She gasped in surprise as arms wrapped around her arms, gently pulling her to them.

"Thank you, Arnold," she whispered as the tears came again harder, and she laid her head on his chest allowing all her emotions to be free.

* * *

4. "Via Con Me" by Paolo Conte (French Kiss Soundtrack)

_(It's in French...I have no idea...)_

"Would you care to dance, Arnold?" Helga asked perfectly poised in her pink gown.

He stared at her nervously. "Um…okay, Helga." He led her onto the floor as the music began to play. Before he could even begin to lead she pulled him close and began trotting around the ballroom floor.

"Helga, don't you know that the guy is supposed to lead?" he asked as she led him into a dip.

"What guy?" she said with a smirk.

A little irritated at her remark he took her into his arms and took charge leading her into an even sassier dance. It reminded him of the April Fool's day dance a year ago and an idea popped into his head. With a little smirk he pulled her close and led her into a tango, even though it didn't fit the song. She smiled at him as her beautiful blue eyes lit up mischievously.

* * *

5. "Would You Love Me" by Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband

_"I should've known she wouldn't listen  
I should've known she'd pass me by  
I should've know better than  
To listen to the lullaby  
Cuz it's a sad, sad song I hear  
And a long, long road I'll fear  
Without you, without you_

_Would you love me?  
Always trust me?  
Would you love me if it won't hurt you at all?  
If it won't hurt you at all?_"

There I had said it. Those three words. And to her—Helga. I was sure now was the right time. I was sure she'd say she felt the same.

Instead of answering she stood staring, her deep blue eyes full of confusion. I saw them searching my face, wondering.

"Are you serious?" she asked.

I went to put my hand on her shoulder but she jumped away. "Of course. Why would I say it if I didn't mean it. Don't you love me too?"

But I watched and I saw her defenses building back up. _Oh, no,_ I thought.

"Helga, wait, I know what you are thinking, just—"

"How would you know what I'm thinking, _Arnoldo_?" she said snidely. "And I thought we were friends. How could you play this joke on me?"

I stared at her. I couldn't believe what she was saying. I knew I had told her exactly what she'd always wanted to hear—dreamed of hearing me say. Why was she doing this? Turning away from exactly what she wanted.

But I knew why. She was scared of being hurt. So instead of allowing herself to be hurt, she was hurting me.

* * *

6. "Hear You Me" by Jimmy Eat World

_"And if you were with me tonight  
I'd sing to you just one more time  
A song for a heart so big  
God couldn't let it live_

_May angels lead you in  
Hear you me my friends  
On sleepless roads the sleepless go  
May angels lead you in"_

I stared blankly ahead, lost in shock.

He was gone. Lost to me. And I had wasted so much time.

I felt the tears start to fall and I got up and walked to a nearby willow.

I fell to my knees with sobs and wondered to myself how someone so perfect, so loving and so caring would be the one to be taken so young with so much life ahead of them. He was the most amazing person I had ever known. My friend—even more so than Phoebe as of late.

Late. He was the late Arnold now. Deceased. Gone.

Those words sounded so final. Death _is_ final, I suppose.

I wondered then if he was watching me. If he was up there surrounded by angels, watching me.

He _would_ be with angels. He was an angel on earth so he would of course be an angel there too. I'd like to be there with him. I bet it's perfect. I'd tell him everything. Everything I hadn't told him when he was here with me.

How could I ever forget about him? How would I ever move on? He was the one bright spot in my life of darkness.

Maybe I'd follow in his footsteps. Become the person he was. If he was watching me, I'd want him to know that even though he was gone his memory would live on. I would carry those good traits he had, show him and everyone the real me.

In that way I would be able to honor his memory.

* * *

7. "Saints and Sailors" by Dashboard Confession

_"So don't be a liar,  
don't say that "everything's working"  
when everything's broken.  
And you smile like a saint  
but you curse like a sailor  
and your eyes say the joke's on me._

_But I'm not laughing and you're not leaving  
and who do I think I am kidding  
When I'm the only one locked in this cell?"_

I wanted to tell her that I'd had it. We'd been together for a long time, and I loved her, but she couldn't rid herself of her anger. And that anger lashed out at me.

I was tired. I'm a helpful person—I care about others—but she had worn me out. The last year I had spent all my time trying to help Helga get past her frustrations and family problems but I was starting to realize that I hadn't had any success. I still loved her, but it looked like she was bringing me down into her despair and I couldn't take it any longer. Until she could fix herself and start admitting that she had some problems the relationship wasn't going to work. She was lying to herself and everyone around and I wouldn't have anymore of it.

It was over.

* * *

8. "Then I Did" by Rascal Flatts

_"You talked me outta givin' up on myself so many times  
Convinced me to get in while I could, regrets hang heavy on the mind  
But you never doubted me, you kept pushing me_

Saying you've been waiting all your life for a break like this  
It's your chance of a lifetime you just know it is  
You gotta go find those dreams  
Was the last thing that you said  
And then I did"

I looked out the plane window at the town below. Hillwood my old home. I had left for a great job five years before. And as I thought about Hillwood I thought about her. The one girl I loved and I gave her up to take a job in Santa Fe—the best opportunity I could have imagined.

She'd been such a great friend and lover. So supportive. She'd told me to go take the job, but she didn't come with me. Told me she couldn't but that if this was my chance I should definitely take it. Now it was too late to go back. Too late to fix it and have her again. I wanted to call her, see what she was doing. See how her life had changed in the last five years. But I chose not to. I chose to continue on with my existence, what little was left.

* * *

9. "Words I Couldn't Say" by Rascal Flatts (sound familiar?? Speaking of which…I even made a HA! Music video to this song…)

_"Theres a rain that will never stop fallin'  
There a wall that I tried to take down  
What I should have said just wouldn't pass my lips  
So I held back and now we've come to this  
And it too late now_

What do I do now that your gone  
No back up plan no second chance  
And no one else to blame  
All I can hear in the silence that remains  
Are the words I couldn't say"

I watched him walk away down the dark and rainy street. It was too late. I'd waited to long. The perfect moment to tell him had come and I'd blown it. Why did I do that?—push people away. He had even told me he loved me.

He loved me.

And I had turned away from him and missed my chance and now he was gone from me. Why couldn't I just say the words? Yes, I might get hurt. But maybe what might have been between us, would have been worth whatever pain or hurt may have come.

Was it truly too late?

Probably. And I had no one to blame but myself. I shouldn't have tried harder to tell him how I felt. Now all I can do is keep telling myself those words and in that realize my heartache over and over again. No one would ever know, but me. I'd pushed him away for too long and now it was just too late.

And all that was left to me aside from those unspoken words was silence.

Silence and my broken heart.

* * *

10. "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors (this one is dedicated to Pointy Objects. Not because it's good ('cause it's not) but because I _know_ she loves the song as much as me!)

_"One, two, princes kneel before you  
Princes, princes who adore you  
One has diamonds in his pockets  
This one, said he wants to buy you lockets_

_Marry him, your father will condone you  
Marry me, your father will disown you"_

I looked to Harold. He'd come such a long way since I met him. He was so handsome now with his dark, brooding brown eyes, broad shoulders, and adorable smile He had treated me so well since we had been dating But he was so poor. And his career? Why, he was just a butcher.

Luigi on the other hand was Italian _and _rich. Perhaps he was older. A little on the…um…well, mature side and perhaps he wasn't as handsome as Harold, but he _was_ rich. He could provide me in the way I had become accustomed to. He had a summer house in Venice, a jet, a yacht, and millions in the bank. So what if he was ugly—dog ugly. Couldn't I live with that as long as I had diamonds and furs?

Deep down in my heart I knew I truly loved Harold. But what would my parents say. What would everyone think of me? He was a butcher for heaven's sake. I, Rhonda Wellington Lloyd, could never be seen as a butcher's wife.

So should I choose Harold or Luigi? My heart said Harold, my head said Luigi.

Someone gently placed their hand on my shoulder. "Arnold?" I asked turning around to the young man.

"Listen to your heart, Rhonda," he said quietly with a smile. "You can't go wrong."

* * *

A/N: Yes…this was fun. I know they aren't the most amazing things ever, but remember there was only about three minutes for each one. But I'm thinking each of these has potential for a new story…and in fact, I'll tell you a secret. I've already kind of been outlining one for the "Saints and Sailors" song. I had some inspiration while I was mowing lawns at work today. So look for that and others, I honestly think I'll try them out! And yes, I know you are waiting for updates on WICS…but I've been having some trouble ever since my flash drive crashed and I lost everything for it. But I am getting back in the writing mood and I'll be making time to write soon, so keep some faith in me and enjoy these while you wait!


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